Electrical connector



Nov. 8, 1960 E. A. ERICSON ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 26, 1958 R. w @C w M AMm C T m A E Y B 4 H United States Paten ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Eric A. Ericson, Plainville, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed June 26, v1958, Ser'. No. 744,697

9 Claims. (Cl. 339-470) My invention relates to electrical connectors for fuses, and particularly to connectors of the positive clamping type for use with blade-type fuse terminals.

Prior art electrical connectors of the type providing positive clamping action have ordinarily involved cumbersome clamping devices which are inconvenientto operate and employing parts that are separable and easily lost. An additional problem not adequately met by prior art devices is the provision of a structure which can maintain high pressure for a long period of time without deformation or destruction of the contact assembly.

It is an object of this invention to provide a terminal structure capable of producing high contact pressure for prolonged periods of time.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pressure-applying clamp which is always attached to the terminal structure, which takes up little space, whichpositively locks the fuse blade in place and yet which is easily releasable to permit removal of the fuse blade.

In carrying out my invention in one preferred embodiment, I provide a fuse clamp including a pair of spaced-apart jaw or contact members, to receive a fuse blade therebetween, a generally C-shaped clamping member having its 'bight portion extending alongside one of said jaw members and having both legs thereof extending across the space between the jaw members and engage= able with the other jaw member, and clamping means for exerting a force between the bight of the c-shaped member and the adjacent jaw member, to force the jaw members together.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the C-shaped member is loosely but permanently connected to the jaw posts so that when the clamping member is loosened, it can be pivoted to an open position in which the fuse blade can be easily inserted or removed.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent and the invention will be better under-- :stood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings. The features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out withp'ar- 'ticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation view of a terminal structure incorporating the invention and shown with the blade of a cartridge fuse in place;

Figure 2 is an end 'view of the terminal structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of certain portions of the terminal clamping assembly;

Figure 4 is an end view of another embodiment of my invention.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the invention is shown as incorporated in a fuse-clamp including L-shaped contact members 1 and 2 juxtaposed in spaced apart back-to-back relation to receive th'erebetween a blade 3 of fuse 4*. Contact members land 2 meet identical construction, and each includes a base portion- Patented Nov. 8, 196i) 5 and an upright side or jaw plate of general planar configuration having an out-turned upper lip 7. Each contact member 1 and 2 has a pair of apertures 8 and'9' firi' side-by-side relation near the base end of the jaw plate 6 and a projection 10 eccentrically positioned ontheinner side of the jaw plate intermediate the apertures to act as a stop for contact blade 3.

Terminal members 1 and 2 are assembled together with their jaw plates 6 in flatwise parallel spaced apart relation by inserting bolts or other fasteners through apertures 11 in the terminal members 1 and 2" and apertures 11' in a spacer bar 12, so .that the terminal members 1 and 2 are spaced apart. When members l and 2 are assembled in this manner, the respective pairs of apertures 8 and 9 are in alignment and thepro'jec tions 10 are juxtaposed in side-by-side relation wrorma bottom stop for the contact blade 3. As shown in Figure 2, terminal connectors 14 are attached to the b'aseportions 5 of each terminal member to provide convenient meansof'electrical connection to the terminal blades.

The assembly, comprising members 1 and 2, spacer-12, and connectors 14 and 15 are supported ona suitable supporting base 13" such as by means of screws 15;

For the purpose of providing a positive clamping action, a generally C-shaped clamp 16 is provided. The clamp 16 is mounted with its intermediate or bight portion 23 parallel to the outer side of one terminal jaw plate 6 and its legs extending transversely of the jaws to grasp the other jaw plate 6. The top leg 17 'of the clamp 16'termina-tes in an inturned, hook-shaped portion "18'. The bottom leg of the clamp 16 isbifurcated to formspaced apart legs 19 each having an inturned endportion or hook 19'. In assembly the legs 19" are inserted through the aligned pairs of apertures s and 9,- r'espec tively, in both members 1 and 2, the hooked e'n'd por tions 19 each embracing a transverse pivot pin 20, thereby totrap the clamp in place. Pin: 20 has two per tions of reduced diameter, 21 and 22, which are partially encircledby ends 19. Pin- 20 is inserted into position in the ends 19' before spacer bar 12 is put in place. Once spacer bar 11 is in place, there is insufiicient clearan'ce between ends 19' and terminal member 2 to permit withdrawal of pin 20. It will of course be evident to those skilled in the art that the lower legs 19 of the'c'larnp' 16, being mounted immediately adjacent the rigidly bolted spacerplate 12, may equally well be ivotally mounted on either side of either jaw plate 6.

The bight portion 23 of the clamp 16* has two surfaces 24' formed on the inner surface thereof. .The's'e cam surfaces project inwardly towards terminal member 1 and increase in inward dimension toward thetop- 17 of the clamp member16. Cam follower or wedge-2'6 is trapped between the cam surfaces 24 andthe member' 1, and held by a threaded stud 27 passing through ape'r ture 28 in top 17 of clamp member 16.

As is shown in Figure 2, clamp 16 is longitudinally and pivotally movable within thesl'ots 8 and 9 to" the dotted position. With clamp 16 in the dotted position;

the contact blade 3 may be inserted'betwee'n the jaw; plates 6 of the terminal members 1 and 2. Afterbl'a'de S-has been inserted until its bottom portion engages stop members 10, clamp 16 is moved laterally over the Rotation of threaded fastener 27 then moves cam follower 26 along cam surfaces 24' to apply lateral clamping pressure of the'j'aw plate 6 toward each other, placing'the top and bottom portions'of clamp member 16in tension;

This method of urging the jaw platestoward each other" enables a great deal of contact pressure to beap l ied between thejaws formed by the terminal members 1 and 2, and such pressure can be applied over long periods of time without substantial lessening thereof or deformation of the component parts.

Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of my invention utilizing a modified form of the contact clamp, but also providing three-point application of pressure without straining the terminal parts. Clamp 30 is substantially identical to clamp 16 except that a threaded aperture 31 is provided in the bight portion of clamp 30, carrying a threaded member 32 which is adjustable to provide pressure transverse to the jaw plates of terminal members 1 and 2.

It will be seen that I have provided a fuse connector having an improved clamp which is normally not removable from the terminal structure and therefore cannot be lost when not performing its clamping function. In addition, my clamping structure is convenient to operate, takes very little space, and locks the fuse blade in position positively.

While I have described only particular embodiments of my invention, it is apparent that many modifications thereof may be made. It is to be understood, therefore, that I intend, by the appended claims, to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by- Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electrical connector comprising a pair of generally planar closely spaced contact plates connected together at one end thereof and adapted to receive a bladetype contact therebetween, clamping means for clamping said contact plates together comprising a clamping member extending generally parallel to and closely spaced from the outside surface of one of said contact plates and including a portion extending transversely across the top of said contact plates and having an inturned lip portion for engaging the other of said contact plates, forceapplying means positioned between said clamping member and said outside surface of said one contact plate for urging said clamping member and said one contact plate apart, and means supporting said clamping member for sliding movement parallel to said contact plates to disengage said inturned lip from said other contact plate and for pivotal movement to permit rocking of said clamping member to a position where said transversely extending portion is clear of the space between said contact plates.

2. An electrical connector comprising a pair of generally planar closely spaced contact jaws connected together at one end thereof, clamping means for clamping said contact jaws together upon a blade-type contact positioned therebetween comprising a generally C-shaped clamping member having an intermediate portion extending closely spaced to and parallel to the outer side surface of one of said contact jaws, said clamping member having a first transversely extending portion at one end adjacent the connected ends of said contact jaws extending across the space between said contact jaws and engaging the other of said contact jaws and a second transversely extending portion extending across the top of said contact jaws and including a portion engaging said other contact jaw, force-applying means between said intermediate portion of said clamping member and said outside wall of said one contact jaw for forcing said clamping member and said one contact jaw apart, and means supporting said C-shaped clamped member on said contact aws, said supporting means permitting limited movement of said clamping member parallel to said contact jaws to disengage said second transversely extending portion from said other contact jaw and permitting thereafter limited pivotal movement of said clamping means to a position where said second transversely extending portion is clear of the space between said contact jaws to permit the entry and removal of said blade-type contact.

3. An electrical connector as set forth in \claim 2 4 wherein said force-applying means comprises a cam surface carried by said clamping member and a cam follower supported in the space between said clamping member and said one contact jaw, and means accessible from the top of said connector for moving said cam follower.

4. An electrical connector comprising a pair of identical L-shaped contact members connected together in spaced back-to-back relationship so that the juxtaposed parallel side plates of said members define a jaw opening to receive a contact blade, each of said spaced side plates having an outwardly flared top end and a pair of spaced apertures located near the bottom of said jaw opening and being provided with a projection extending into said opening intermediate said apertures to provide a bottom stop for said contact blade, a generally C-shaped clamp having its intermediate portion extending along the outer side of one said side plate and having one end portion passing over the top ends of both side plates, a hook-like formation on said end portion engaging the outwardly fiared end of the other said side plate, a pair of spaced legs at the other end of said clamp, said legs passing through the apertures in said side plates respectively, retaining means carried by the ends of said legs adjacent the outer side of said other side plate to retain said clamp and said contact members in loosely connected relation, said apertures being elongated along the longitudinal direction of said side plates to permit said clamp to be moved longitudinally to disengage said hook-like formation from said flared end of said other side plate and said clamp to be pivoted away from said other side plate to provide access to said jaw opening along a path extending between said top ends, a cam surface formed in the intermediate portion of said clamp, a cam follower positioned between said one side plate and said cam surface, and means accessible from the top of said connector for moving said cam follower along said cam surface to urge said one side plate away from said intermediate portion of said clamp and toward said other side plate.

5. An electrical connector comprising a pair of contact jaw plates formed of generally planar configuration con nected together at one end in spaced apart relation to form a pair of juxtaposed jaws adapted to receive a contact blade therebetween, clamping means for clamping said jaw plates against said blade, said clamping means comprising a clamping member loosely pivotally mounted upon one of said jaw plates at the connected end thereof and having a first portion extending generally parallel to and adjacent the outside surface of one of said jaw plates and a second portion extending transversely across the spaced apart free ends of said jaw plates, at least one retaining projection carried by said transversely extending portion and releasably engaging the other said jaw plate adjacent the free end thereof, force-applying means carried by said clamping member for urging said jaw plates together, whereby the loose pivotal mounting of said clamping member permits limited lateral movement thereof in a direction generally parallel to said jaw plates to move said retaining projection out of engage. ment with said other jaw plate and provides for limited pivotal movement thereof to move said transversely extending portion of said clamping member in a direction generally perpendicular to said jaw plates following disengagement of said retaining projection and to a position at one side of said space between said jaw plates to permit passage of said blade into or out of the space between said jaw plates.

6. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 5, wherein said force-applying means comprises means positioned between said first portion of said clamping member and said outside surface of said one jaw plate for urging'said first portion of said clamping member and said one jaw plate apart.

7. An electrical connector comprising a pair of genorally I -shaped contact members each comprising a base portion and a planar jaw plate, a support, means mounting said contact members on said support with said jaw plates juxtaposed in fiatwise parallel spaced apart relation to provide a jaw opening therebetween for receiving a blade-type contact, said jaw plates each having at least one aperture therein adjacent said base portion and said apertures being in alignment, a generally C-shaped clamping member having a bight portion extending generally parallel to and spaced away from the outer side of one of said jaw plates and having a bottom leg extending transversely through said aligned apertures, said transversely extending leg having its end return-bent to provide a hook, a pivot pin retained by said hook on the outer side of the other said jaw plate, said clamping member also having a top leg extending transversely across the outer ends of said jaw plates remote from said base and having a downturned lip to engage the outer edge of said other jaw plate, clamping means for exerting a force between said bight portion of said clamping member and the adjacent side of said one jaw plate, said aperture being elongated in a direction perpendicular to said base portions to permit sliding movement of said clamping member away from said base portions in a direction parallel to said jaw plates to disengage said downturned lip from said other jaw plate and to permit limited rocking movement of said clamping member thereafter to a position where said top transversely extending portion clears said jaw opening.

8. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 7 wherein said force-applying means comprises a cam surface carried by said bight portion of said clamping member and a cam follower movable between said bight portion of said clamping member and the adjacent side of said one jaw plate, and means accessible from the upper side of said jaw opening for moving said cam follower in a direction generally perpendicular to said base portions.

9. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein said contact members comprise identical generally L-shaped pieces each having a stop projection extending from the inner surface thereof and disposed to one side of the center line thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,559,349 Mott Oct. 27, 1925 1,878,779 Jung et a1. Sept. 20, 1932 1,917,862 Wadsworth July 11, 1933 1,955,251 Ohlson Apr. 17, 1934 1,996,888 Smythe et a1. Apr. 9, 1935 2,199,793 Hammerly May 7, 1940 2,220,698 Adam et a1 Nov. 5, 1940 2,355,085 Landmeier Aug. 8, 1944- 

